The present invention relates generally to radar systems, and more particularly to an improved radar system which utilizes its protective member externally from the antenna to protect its operating radar compartment against the harmful effects of transmitted radar beam diffractions or scatters.
It is commonly understood that radio frequency waves generated from high power antennas have harmful or adverse effects upon humans and certain sensitive electronic components. In order to address this concern, various federal governmental agencies such as Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) and the like have set up a standardized minimum which regulates the amount of radio frequency waves that a person may be exposed to. Truly, the existence of such regulations clearly recognizes the dangers associated with high powered or intensified radio frequency waves.
One particular industry which is greatly concerned with such dangers is the radar technology industry. As radar facilities and installations typically use radio frequency waves to detect potential hostile threats and/or to identify unknown objects, they are oftentimes exposed to the harms posed by these waves. Of significance is the part of the radio frequency waves which diffracts or scatters backward and enters into the radar facilities and installations which obviously presents to be the most harm.
As such, any personnel working within these radar facilities and installations may undesirably become subjected to the negative effects of the radio frequency waves. In addition to such biological danger, the radio frequency waves may further detriment or interfere with certain electronic components that are sensitive to them. Consequently, preventing radar frequency reentry has always been a primary objective and interest in the radar technology industry.
Various measures have been proposed in the industry to alleviate the problems of radio frequency exposures. One widely and commonly accepted method against radio frequency exposure has been the use of extensive shielding around the walls, floors and ceilings of radar facilities and installations. More specifically, those sections of the radar facilities and installations are typically constructed of copper and/or silver impregnated materials which are often accompanied by elaborate grounding schemes. This technique is deployed to limit functional access in radar facilities and installations.
However, such method against radio frequency exposure is very expensive and time-consuming to construct and implement. This burden is enhanced by the circumstance that the associated maintenance required for such shielding frequently leads to the further effectuation of those same undesired characteristics. As such, the task of shielding the radar facilities and installations against radio frequency waves have always been arduous as both to time and cost.
Thus, there has long been a need in the industry, and in the radar technology industry in particular, for a radar system which can effectively protect radar facilities and installations against radio frequency exposure without undertaking the significant financial burden associated therewith. In addition, there exists a need for a radar system which can afford such radio frequency protection while avoiding the overwhelming construction, implementation and maintenance time that typically characterize the analogous systems of the prior art.
The present invention addresses and overcomes the above-described deficiencies by providing a radar system which comprises and utilizes a protective member externally from a transmitting antenna for the purpose of protecting its operating radar compartment against the harmful effects of transmitted radar beam (e.g., radio frequency beam) diffractions or scatters. In this respect, the radar system of the present invention offers an effective solution against radar beam reentry while eliminating the need to incur considerable expense and time which cloud its prior art counterparts.